First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 298: The Heavens Determine Our Fate

Shi Lanshan solemnly clasped his fists and said, “Immortal Master Li, Young Lord You, I just received word that Su Yi has already departed the Xiao Family’s territory and left the city. It seems he’s headed right toward us!”

You Xinglin was instantly stunned. He exclaimed, “Is he coming here for you?”

Shi Lanshan nodded. “Earlier, I did the grand elder of the Xiao Family, Xiao Zhongying, an enormous favor. Perhaps, as a result of this, Su Yi now sees me as his enemy."

He was being deliberately vague, but neither You Xinglin nor his martial uncle could be bothered to ask any further questions.

The petty struggles of the mundane world, that’s all. They weren't the least bit interested.

“I already wanted to meet the boy. Who’d have thought he’d run right toward us? This is excellent; it saves me the trouble of going out looking for him,” said the middle-aged Daoist, laughing and stroking his beard.

His tone was mellow and understated; he seemed incomparably at ease.

“Heh heh, this is called ‘seeking out one’s own demise.’” You Xinglin seemed lamentful. “I?heard Master?say that the Possessed retain the nature and temperament of the otherworld cultivator’s true body. The stronger they were before crossing over, the more they?look?down on mundane power and authority. They think they can just act as they please without reservation, and they fear no one.

“I see that very pattern in Su Yi’s behavior. Alas, I’m afraid he could never have anticipated that this time, you’d be here to hold down the fort, Martial Uncle Li!”

The middle-aged Daoist smiled faintly. “You’re right, Xinglin. However, when you fight the Possessed, you cannot get complacent. The Possessed almost always carry secret trump cards; you have to remain on guard.”

The Possessed!

When Shi Lanshan heard this, he was inwardly stunned, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Immortal Master Li, is Su Yi… Has he really been possessed?”

The middle-aged Daoist nodded. “It’s highly probable. There’s no other explanation for why a young third-level Grandmaster is strong enough to effortlessly slay Xiantian Martial Ancestors.”

“No wonder.” Shi Lanshan looked enlightened. “Years ago, Su Yi was just the overlooked, scorned son of a concubine. He was suppressed countless times, and there was never any sign of anything special about him. However, starting just a few months ago, he’s been like a completely different person. His cultivation has grown by leaps and bounds, and his combat strength has become shockingly terrifying. So, it seems he’s most likely been possessed!”

“It’s just as they say: when something out of the ordinary happens, look for a yao,” said You Xinglin calmly. “King Shi, you need not worry. If Su Yi shows up, just open the gates and let him in.”

Shi Lanshan’s heart filled with excitement. “As you wish!”

The middle-aged Daoist laughed, then took out the sword bundled on his back, Return to Origin. He placed it across his lap, then gently brushed his finger along the flat of the blade, his gaze tender and focused.

He muttered to himself, “Old friend, once we’ve cut down Su Yi, I’ll be sure to reward you properly!”

……

……

Xiao Tianque pointed into the distance and said, “Master Su, Cloud-Sweeping Ridge stands ten miles from here. The Cloud-Scraping King, Shi Lanshan, and his vast army are stationed alongside the mountains.”

“Hm.” Su Yi grunted in acknowledgment, put his hands behind his back, and proceeded ahead.

Earlier, after smoothing out the Lanling Xiao Family’s inner conflict, Su Yi decided to seize this opportunity and deal with Shi Lanshan as well.

This would get revenge for Xiao Tianque, as well as resolve a lingering threat to the entire Xiao Family.

Furthermore, this might well be enough to intimidate the people of the Great Zhou. This would teach them the consequences of becoming his enemy. After this, no one would dare target those close to him.

When he learned of Su Yi’s plans, Xiao Tianque didn’t hesitate. He immediately offered to lead the way personally.?Su Yi didn’t refuse.

“Master Su, Cloud-Scraping King Shi Lanshan has thirty thousand elite soldiers under his command. In addition, his vice generals are each Xiantian Martial Ancestors, and he has no fewer than one hundred Grandmasters under his command…"?Xiao Tianque couldn’t help but ask, “Are we… just going there like this?”

He was a bit worried. After all, he hadn’t personally witnessed Su Yi slaying Xiantian Martial Ancestors. When he thought about the Cloud-Scraping King’s towering authority and prestige, it was hard not to worry.

“Don’t worry. When we get there, all you need to do is stand far away and wait,” Su Yi said casually.

The armies of the mundane world couldn’t withstand so much as a single swing of a cultivator’s blade.

Besides, to the current Su Yi, never mind Grandmasters; even Xiantian Martial Ancestors could almost never enter his sights.

Xiao Tianque took a deep breath, then nodded.

Before long, Cloud-Sweeping Ridge came into view. Its blue peaks were swathed in misty white clouds.

There was a vast stretch of grassland off to the side of the mountains. A sweeping military encampment stood there, including numerous beacons, outposts, watchtowers, halls, and other facilities.

From a distance, the iron-blooded, austere killing intent emanating from the camp seemed to form clouds of smoke and rise into the air!

The camp’s main gates were open, and heavily-armored troops lined each side of the wide path. Their hands gripped halberds, and they seemed fierce and capable.

Ooo ooo ooo~~!

When Su Yi and Xiao Tianque appeared in the distance, the sound of a horn rang out.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The tens of thousands of elite, armored soldiers formed a strict formation. Their concentrated energies gathered together, forming clouds of blood-colored mist in the sky. The sight was shocking to behold.

“Master Su, it seems the Cloud-Scraping King anticipated our arrival,” said Xiao Tianque gravely.

He was a mundane Grandmaster. Seeing this austere line-up, even from a distance, it was hard not to feel stifled and grim.

“Isn’t it better that way? Elder Xiao, wait nearby. I’ll go see what this Cloud-Scraping King has in store for me.” Su Yi said this, then continued straight ahead.

In his blue robes, he looked detached and transcendent. He walked with his hands behind his back, as if he were out for a stroll. Witnessing this, much of Xiao Tianque’s stifled anxiety inexplicably disappeared.

“Master Su, this old man will await your triumphant return!” Xiao Tianque solemnly clasped his fist.

He knew that, were he to tag along, he couldn’t help. Worse, he’d become a burden.

Su Yi just waved; he didn’t even look back.

The fierce-looking group of soldiers by the gates all looked over, their gazes locking onto Su Yi’s tall, lean frame.

Like a group of vicious fiends.

That silent, austere pressure was all focused on just one person. Were Su Yi any ordinary martial artist, he likely would have lost his nerve a long time ago.

But it was as if he didn’t even notice. He walked right up to the military encampment, then stopped by the gates. “Where is Cloud-Scraping King Shi Lanshan?”

His voice was like the clear, melodious cry of a dragon. It reverberated throughout heaven and earth, rumbling as it spread far and wide.

The vicious-looking, fully-armored troops instantly felt their ears sting, and their blood and qi churned. They saw stars, and their expressions shifted dramatically as a disturbance appeared in their strict formation.

“Ha ha ha!” A burst of hearty laughter rang out, and a tall, lean man strode out of the military encampment.

He wore a high-browed hat and purple robes embroidered with dragons. His skin was coppery, and his features were steely and sharp. His eyes flashed with cold light, as if they could seize your soul.

This was none other than the Cloud-Scraping King, Shi Lanshan! He was one of the nation’s nine non-Zhou Kings, and a Xiantian Martial Ancestor whose name shook the entire nation.

His generals and officers followed him. All had forceful auras, and their ranks included both men and women. The strongest were Xiantian Martial Ancestors, but even the weakest were in the Grandmaster Realm.

Now, they approached as a grand procession, like stars gathering around the moon. This only further offset just how extraordinary Shi Lanshan’s prestige was.

When he arrived at the encampment’s main gate, Shi Lanshan stopped, his eyes flashing like cold lightning as he stared at the distant Su Yi. After looking him over, he smiled. “Third Young Master, your presence here truly comes as a delightful surprise. Might I ask the purpose of your visit?”

He was dignified and contemptuous, and extremely imposing. However, Su Yi merely glanced at him and said calmly, “I’ve come here for one reason, and one reason only: I’m going to take your head and use it to intimidate others like you.”

Shi Lanshan couldn’t help but throw back his head and laugh into the heavens, the sound booming like thunder. “Third Young Master, you’ve been straightforward with me, so I won’t beat around the bush either. Want to take my head? Go right ahead! But first, let me ask you this: do you dare do battle here, in our military encampment?”

“In this world, there’s no place I dare not go,” said Su Yi airily.

.

Shi Lanshan waved his hand and bellowed, “Beat the drums! Welcome our Third Young Master!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The camp’s watchtowers were each outfitted with a massive war drum. The soldiers beat the drums, the sound like thunder rumbling throughout the nine heavens. The sound resounded through the air, spreading far and wide.

The tens of thousands of soldiers within the camp shifted back in a massive wave, like waters at high tide. Their iron armor was imposing, and it glinted with cold light as they cleared a path deeper into camp.

Shi Lanshan gestured invitingly. “If you please!”

The crowd watched with rapt attention as Su Yi walked right up without the slightest hesitation. His expression was so calm, it was as if no one else were present.

In the face of that utter composure, Shi Lanshan’s eyes narrowed. He realized that the power of his military alone couldn’t even begin to intimidate someone as strong as Su Yi.

He made no further attempts to test Su Yi. He simply led him further inside.

“Master Su, you must be careful….” Xiao Tianque watched this scene from a distance. He couldn’t help but clench his fists.

A massive arena stood at the center of the camp. It was fully a thousand feet in diameter and made entirely out of firm, pitch-black Malevolent Darksteel.

From a distance, Su Yi saw two people standing in front of the arena.

One was a handsome, dignified youth in wind and flame-patterned Daoist robes, while the other was a middle-aged Daoist in navy blue. The latter had a sword bundled on his back, as well as a long, willowy beard.

Su Yi’s gaze swept across them. He directly ignored the young man, but his gaze lingered briefly on the middle-aged Daoist before he looked away.

As he did this, he saw Shi Lanshan scurry ahead and solemnly clasp his fist. “Immortal Master Li, Young Lord You, Su Yi is here!”

You Xinglin nodded. “King Shi, you can retreat for now. Leave this up to me and my martial uncle.”

Shi Lanshan acknowledged his orders, then left. When he next looked at Su Yi, it was as if he were looking at a dead man; his gaze was full of both playful mockery and pity.?This is what it means to seek out one’s own demise. He has no one to blame but himself!

You Xinglin gazed at Su Yi, smiled faintly, and clasped his fist. “I’m called You Xinglin, and I’m from the Great Qin’s Profound Moon Temple. This is my martial uncle, Li Changning.”

The middle-aged Daoist smiled too. He greeted Su Yi with a solemn bow. “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Su.”

Su Yi’s gaze swept across the area before landing on the middle-aged Daoist, Li Changning. He said calmly, “Are you here to stick out your necks for Shi Lanshan?”

Li Changning’s smile was warm and friendly, and his voice was mellow. “No, we came here for you. We just didn’t expect you to come here of your own accord. All of this has made me recall a certain phrase.”

“Which phrase?” Su Yi’s eyebrows shifted upward,

Li Changning stroked his beard and laughed. “‘The heavens determine our fate.’”

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